Bottle crate



June 16, 1931. w. w. BIRNsTocK 1,810,815

BOTTLE CRATE Filed Aug. 21. 1929 sheets-sheet 1 5 1 mi R6 u "IH a 1\ m N`.\""

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fw 1 k W i L v i u M la s? mx 1.-, A

-- --j M 22 N INVENTOR @Eb r BY @M7/2W ATTORNEY June 16, 1931. w. w. BIRNs'rocK l 1,310,815

BOTTLE CRATE FledvAug. 21, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [willI INVENTOR MYX/'Iam WEF/757261? ATTORNEY June 16, 1931. A w. w. BIRNsTocK 1,810,815

Bo'fTw CRATE Filed Aug. 21d.. 1929 s sheets-sheet s i Y d w :sV n Km ATTORNEY Patented June 16,1931 i Y' UNITED s'rn'rssvl PATENT ,erica WILLIAMv W. BIBNSTOCK, or" Yoan, PNNsviivANIA nommen-ATE F l* Appicaton filed August 21, 1929. Serial No. 3875449. y The present invention relates to improvetain of the corners of the crate being shown ments in receptacles and more particularly t inL section at different points in the height bottle crates and similar receptacles of the thereof; y class having sides and ends made up of Figure 2 represents on an enlarged scale,

d wooden strips or slats, such crates being a vertical section through one side of the 55 adapted to be used for shipping or similar crate, taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l lpurposes and intended to be used repeatedly and looking in the direction of the` a 1rows; and they are usually subjected to rough Figure 3 represents a vertical section usage, through one of the outer rangle irons or One of the primary objects of the invencorner members and the adjacent ends of tion is to provide novel and improved means the side strips of the crate, showing the for uniting the corners of such a crate or manner :of assembling certain of the side f receptacle whereby great strengthand durastrips with respect thereto; Y f bility are secured, the construction being Figure 4 represents ,a vertical section such that the parts composing the crate may through one ofy the outer kcorner members be made and assembled inexpensively andl and the adjacent ends of the end kstrips `of with facility, the ends of the strips comthe crate, showing the manner of assembling posing the sides and ends of the`crate,.at the one of the end strips relatively thereto;

corners thereof, being firmly bound and' Figure 5 is a detail perspective View of l held between inner and outer angleirons or". one of the outer corner members as viewed corner members which are locked together from the inner side thereof; by the engagement of one ofthe corner Figure 6 is a `detail perspective view of members with tongues on the other corner one of the iniierc'corner members as lviewed member, and the outer corner members befrom the inner side thereof; l 55 ing locked againstpulling away from the Figure 7 is a detail sectional view` take-ii 75 corners of the crate by the engagement of vertically through a corner structureV of vsaidtonguesin lslots in the side and endy modified form, showing the side and end strips of the crate, the corner members, in strips of the crate in position ready'to be the preferred construction, being locked by locked; f

3U a loncritudinal sliding movement of the l'Figure 8 `represents a cross section taken 80 inner corner member relatively to the outer on theline 8-'8 of Figure 7 l corner member. y Figure 9 is aview similar to Figure 7 Another object of the invention `is to probut showing the manner of assembling one vide a corner construction of this character of the end strips Vof the crate; l which will euableany of the strips compos- Figure 10 represents a vertical section 85 ing the sides or ends of the crate, to be'ietaken 'through a Side of the :come11 Strctu Placed fllxp'ensvly und Wth fmhb'y, shown in Figures' 7 and 9, showing the manslhould -hey become broken or otherwise mr of assemblingone ofthe Sd Strips of camavec. Y v Y 49 To Dthese and other ends, the invention 'the Crate consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more( fully described, the Afeatures of novelty being pointed out F. Y d .l f' f particularly in the claims at the end of the lgmje 12 1S a etal perspectwe WGW* 95 Speccaton of the inner aLiigle iron or corner member 1n th@ accompanying drawngs: :which cooperates with the corner memberl Figure l is a top plan view of a bottle ShOWD lnFlgUlQ 111th@ Same. belng VleWed- 4crate constructed in accordance Awith the POm-ISIIIDGI Sldethe outer angle iron corner member shown in Figures 7 to l0 inclusive, as viewed from itsl innerside; and f l50 preferred embodiment of theinvention,'cer' The same; Vparts are designated by 4the ion Y Figure llis a detail perspectivev viewof 9 shown in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, the strips same reference characters in the different figures.

The present invention provides a novel and improved corner structure for receptacles of various kinds, although it is particularly adapted to bottle crates or cases which are intended to be used repeatedly and are usually subject to rough handling, the improved corner structure affording great strength and durability and being relatively inexpensive in construction.

The invention is shown in the drawings as applied to a bottle crate of the kind generally used in the handling of milk bottles, it comprising vertical sides 1 and ends 2, which are usually constructed of a number of strips or slats of wood, the Vcrate being open at the top but provided'with a. bottom composed usually of longitudinally extending wires 3 which connect the ends of the crate, and the interior of the crate is usually provided with a grid of Vwire or other suitable material which provides partitions for the sepa-ration of the bottles-resting in upright position on the bottom wires 3, the grid being shown in the present instance conventionally as consisting of longitudinal and transverse wires 4t which connect the ends and sides of the crate at a suitable height above the bottom wires to engage the sides of the bottles and thereby hold them i in properly separated relation. It will be understood that the grid and bottom structures may be of any suitableor wel known construction. i Y

According to the present construction as composing the sides and ends of the-crate,

at each corner thereof, are united and se-v cured together by outer and inner angle irons or corner members 5 and 6 which are preferably composed of sheet metal of any suitable kind and of appropriate thickness,

these members-being of right angular form incross sectionV soothatthey provide flangesL v adapted to fit respectively against the outer and inner surfaces of the side and end strips of the crate at the right angular corner thereof. They outer corner member 5 is prot vided withY tongues 7 which are preferably formed as integral continuations of theouter edges of the flanges of this member, these tongues extendingv in planes at right 'angles tothe planes of the respective flanges of.

this member, thetongues extending inwardly to an extent sufficient to enable them'to pass through the side and end strips `of the crate, and their inner extremities are bent laterally toward the center of the corner member and then turned outwardly to form hooks or flanges VY8. vAny suitable number of .these tonguesmay be provided on each outer corner member, the corner member shown in Figure 5 being provided with two pairs ofVA tongues, located near the upper and lower ends thereof, for use on a crate the sides and ends of which are made up of cornermember 5 are provided with flanges 9 and4 10 which preferably form integral .continuations of the upper and lower ends of the flanges composing this corner member, these flanges being stamped or otherwise formed so .that they project inwardly in a plane at right angle to the planes of the flangescomposing this corner` member.

rihe inner corner member 6, which is also composed of suitable sheet metal of appropriate thickness'and is of right angular form in cross section so that it'forms flanges in right angular relation to fit against the inner surfaces of the side and end of the crate at the respective corner thereof, is formedalong its longitudinal edges with flanges 11 kwhich are parallel and are preferably produced bybending inwardly the outer edges of the sheet metal composing this .corner member, these flanges 11 being directed toward the vertical or longitudinal center of this corner member and lying` in planesL which are in right angular relation, these flanges on the inner corner member beinv saaced aaart a distance wliichwill enable them to inter-engage with the hooklike flanges 8 on the tongues 7 of the'outer cornei member as shown at the upper right hand corner of FigureY 1 and to permit the innerl Vcorner member to move or slide longitudinally with respectto theouter corner member. The edges of this inner vcorner member above theseflanges V11 are preferably left unbent for a suitable distance downwardly from the upper endlY of this member, to form.V shoulders 12 to come against the upperfedges of the respective tongues 7 when the innercorner member is .forced or driven downwardly into locking position, thereby stopping the movement of this corner memberv when -it has been inserted to the proper extent.

lThe upper end' of the inner cornei' mem-v ber 6k is preferably offset inwardly and shaped to form a lug y13 which, when the corner structure is assembled, will extend abovepthe top edge of the crate and will be adapted to engagey theinside of a corner of another crate placed uponV it and thereby hold the crates instacked relation. l,In order to facilitate removal of theV inner corner member 6 from locked position, for replace- Vnient of one or more of the strips'coinposing the sides or ends `of the crate, the corner vmember 6 may have stiffening beads la pressed inwardly therein and yextending longitudinally, the lower ends of these beads being `cut from thev sheet metal composing Athe member 6 to provide shoulders 14" against which a suitable tool may be placed,

kfor driving the inner'corner member upwithin the four corner members, prior to inl sertion of the inner corner members in lock- 4and the ends of the side strips abutting against them, as shown inFigure-l.

ing position, the wooden end strips preferably extending the full width of the crate Each of the topmost and lowermost end strips 2a and 2b respectively is formed with a slot 2c or 2V near each end thereof which is in a. position and of a depth to receive the upper and lower portions of the respective upper and lower tongues 7 of the outer corner members so that these end strips may be first tilted into position within thefrespective pairs of outer corner members and will assume positions beneath and above, respectively, the top and bottom flanges 10 while bearing against the tongues 7, after which the topmost andlowermost side strips la and lb respectively, each of which isformed near its ends with similar slots 1 or ll, Ymay be engaged respectively on the other upper and lower tongues 7 and tilted Vinto position within the respective outer corner meinbers'so that they assume positions beneath and above, respectively, the

top and bottom flanges 9 While these sideV strips Vbear againstsaid tongues 7. Zhen relatively thick end strips ai'e employed, as

shown in the present instance, the upper outer corners Aof the uppermost end strips `and the lower outer corners of the lowermost end strips may be bevelled near their ends as at 2 and 20 respectively so that they will swing freelycpast the flanges 10 and into position while bearing against the respective upperand lower' tongues 7.

The sideistrips le? and 1f and lend strips 2e and 2f are provided with slots 1g and 1h, and 2g and 2h respectively in their upper and lower edges respectively and at suitable distancesfrom their ends so that these strips may be applied against the inner sides -of the outer corner members and then shifted v upwardly and downwardly respectively to engage them with the respective upper and lower tongues 7 and to bring themagainst the uppermost and lowermost strips or these strips may be placed with their. slotted por tions engaged on the respective tongues and then swung-.outwardly into place in `sub- 1 stantially"the same. manner in which the topmost and lowermost strips are mounted,fthe

1end strips 2e andQf being applied before theV Y of the'crate.

side strips le and-1f are applied, and after these` strips have vbeen4 placed in position,

the middle end andsidej strips 2i. and l`l reu spectively may be successively fitted directly into the lspaces between these end y and side strips ,to comple-te the end andy .side walls After the side and end* strips been l thus assembled within the outer corner members 5, the inner corner members 6 a'reyin-4 serted inside the corners of the crate and driven or ,forced into locking position?- This is accomplished by inserting the lowerend Vof each inner corner member between the yinwardly extending tongues ,7 so that' the flanges ll will be embraced bythe flanges 8 on the upper tonguesr7 of the respective .outer cornerI member, vit being vunderstood that the-tongues r are of such length that the flanges 8 will be exposed at the inner sides ofthe side land end strips, and then forcing or driving the inner corner member downwardly soV that the flanges -ll will slide `past the fflanges 8 of the upper'tongues 7 and will reach andsimilarly engage vthe flanges 8.of the lower tongues land slide past these flanges until the lowerv end of the Vinner corner member r6 :is even with the lower end of the outer corner member, the downward or locking movei'nent of the inner corner member being arrested by the engagement ofthe shoulders l2 on the inner corner member with the upper'ledges of the upper pair of tongues 7. l i

The forcing of each inner corner-member into locking positionacts fto force the Vrespective ends ofthe side and end strips outwardly into firm and" solid engagement withthe outer ycornermember and thereby firmly and rigidly bind erclamp the side and encl y stripsin place and to bind the inner corner member tightly` against vthe outer corner member, thus rendering the crate strong and ri 0"id, and the corner members are positively locked to the sides and ends ofthe crate by the tongues 7 engaging in the slots in the side and end strips. In order to facilitate the insertion ofthe inner corner members and to assist them in forcing the side and endstrips into firm and solid engagement with the respective outer corner members, the lower ends of the flanges llof each of these inner corner members are "preferably taperedfor bevelledv longitudinally as at 11") so that the flanges 11 will readily engagey the flanges 8 on the outer corner members and will produce a wedgi-ng action which 'will draw the inner and-outer corner members toward `one another and thereby clamp the Sidey and end strips between them while the inner corner members are being driven orotherwise vforced into/locked position. The frictional engagement between the inner and'outer corner members willV hold theinner corner members in lockedposition.

The bottom wires 3 may be applied and secured to the lowerni'ost strips after they have been placed in position, andthe grid wires l may be applied and .secured to the appropriate side and 'end strips after such strips havebeen placed Vin position.

While all of the wooden strips composing the side and end walls of the crate-will be firmly and rigidly locked by the corner members when the latter are in locking position, replacement of any of the strips in the event of wear, breakage or other damage, maybe accomplished inexpensively and with facility. The lowermost side and end strips 11 and 2b, which are ordinarily subject to the greatest wear, may be removed, after first cutting or otherwise removing the bottoni wires 3, by drawing the inner corner members upwardly out of their locked position and then tilting the lowermost side and end strips inwardly at their lower edges and then withdrawing them from the lower tongues 7 after `which other similar but new bottomstrips may be inserted in the manner hereinbefore described.

The uppermost side and end strips 41a and 2a may be readily removed, after th'e inner corner members have been removed, by tilting the upper edges of these strips inwardly and withdrawing *theml from the upper tongues 7, after which other similar but new top strips may be inserted inthe manner hereinbefore described. Similarly, the side strips 1e or 1f and the end strips 2G or ,2f may be removed by tilting them inwardly at vtheir lower and upper edges respectively lwhile the middle' strips 1i or 2 remain in` place and other similar but new strips insertedby a tilting movement in the manner hereinbefore described, there being spaces left between the strips to allow for swelling when wet, andr these spaces being sufficient normally to allow tilting of these strips into and out of position. Y

The middle side strips 1 and end strips 2i may be removed by direct inward movement. There the grid 4 is attached to the strips 1f and 2f and 1i and 2i, the grid is cut or otherwise removed before the removal of these strips. After the damaged strips have been replaced, allof the strips comprising he side and end walls of the crate willbe relocked by driving or otherwise forcing theY inner corner members into locking position. In the modified construction shown in Figures ,8 to 12 inclusive, each outer corner member 5L is 'provided with inwardly VeX- teiiding tongues 7a of a` number to provide one of these tongues for eachk side and end i strip, and the flanges 8a atthe inner extremities of these tongues are folded so that the planes substantially perpendicular to the planes of the respective tongues, and each of the inner corner members 6? has longitudinal flanges 111 thereon which areffolded so 'that theirterminal portions lie in planes Substantially vparallel to the planes ofthe respective sides of Vthese members, the.V

flanges 111 whichare turned toward one another being vadapted to have a hook-like engagement with and to slide longitudinally of the flanges 82L the extremities of which Vare turnedaway from one another', thereby interlocking the inner and outer corner members when the inner corner member'is inserted within the corner of the 'crate and driven or otherwise forced into locking position. The upper and lower ends of the 8 outer corner member are provided with inturned top and Vbottom fianges 9a and 10 which are similar to the flanges 9 and 10 hereinbefore described. I

In'this form of the invention, the upperl respectively'the upper and lower por-tionsV of the uppermost and lowermost tongues 7 when these strips are placed against the inner sides' of the four outer corner members,and these strips are tiltable outwardly at. their upper and lower edges so that they l will pass beneathor above the topV and bottom fianges 9u and 10 and seat flatwise against the inner sides of the outer cornei members. When relatively thick end strips are used, the upperouter corners of the top strips 102a and the'lower'outer corners of the bottom Vstrips 102"- `are bevelled Aor notched adjacent their ends, as'indicated at 102 and 10200 respectively so that they will swing clear of the top and bottom flanges 10a. 1 f

The intermediate side strips-101c and end strips 102e, the respective groups of Vwhich may be composed of` strips of the same construction, are adapted tobe swung into and out of operative position, and while in operative position, these strips arieV engaged individuallyv bythel tonguesl 7a..` Each of these stripsris formed in one edge and near its ends with a vertical slot 101f or 1102t to fthe corners of the crate so: that its flanges terminal portions of these flanges lie in-V posed within. thejcrate, andL by driving or otherwise forcing these inner corner'memllO bers down so that they engage all of the tongues in the respective corners, the ends of all of the strips composing the sides and ends of the crate will be irmly and rigidly clamped and locked `in place between the inner and outer corner members, and the strips will all be keyed individually. by the tongues so that all of the strips will assist in preventing pulling out of the corners of the crate.

Replacement of any of the strips which might become worn, broken or otherwise damaged, may be readily accomplished, after withdrawal of the appropriate inner corner members from locking position, by tilting or swinging the damaged strip vor strips inwardly or reversely to the manner ofinserting it, and the new strip or strips may be applied as already hereinbefore described, and the return of the inner corner members to locking position will relock all of the strips. Then grid or bottom wires are attached to the strips, the same may be cut or otherwise removed to permit removal of the strips which are to be replaced.

lVhile the crates as shown and described embody five wooden strips or slats in each side and end thereof for bottles of one size, it will be obvious that the intermediate portions of' the corner members may be shortened vertically and one or more of the intermediate strips in each side and end may be omitted to provide a crate of less height for bottles of smaller sizes.

I claim as my invention 1. A crate having sides and ends composed of strips arranged one above another, angular corner members fitting the corners of the crate at the inner and outer sides of said strips, and tongues extending through the thickness of said strips and slidably connecting said members.

2. A crate having sides and ends composed of strips, and corner members of angular form fitting the corners of the crate at the inner and outer sides of said strips,

one of said members having` tongues which proceed from its edges and extend toward the other corner member and slidably engage the edges of the latter member.

3. A crate having side and end walls, and a pair of corner members fitting a corner of the crate at the inner and outer sides of said walls, pairs of tongues extending from one of said members toward the other member and having hook-like flanges on their longitudinal edges of one of said members and slidably engaging the opposite longitudinal edges of the other member, the iiat sides of said tongues lying in planes parallel to the lengths of said members.

5. A crate having sides and ends composed of strips arranged one above another, and corner members of angular cross section, extending longitudinally of a corner of the crate at the'inner and outer sides of said strips, the outer corner member having pairs of tongues extending from its opposite longitudinal edges 'and having hooklike flanges on their inner ends slidably engaging the opposite longitudinal edges of the inner corner member to removably lock the strips in pockets formed between said inner and outer corner members, and the outer corner member having inturned flanges extending transversely at its upper and lower ends. Y

6. A crate having sides and ends composed of strips arranged one above another, and corner members fitting the corners of the crate at the inner and outer sides of said strips, the outer corner member having tongues thereon which extend inwardly through said strips, and the inner corner member having flanges on its longitudinalV edges which slidably engage the inner ends of said tongues, the inner corner member having ashoulder thereon projecting transversely therefrom to abut against one of said tongues and thereby stop the sliding movement of the inner corner member in one direction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.V

WILLIAM W. BIRNSTOCK. 

